IOGA Legislative Update – April 16, 2021

Dan Reitz | IOGA Lobbyist

The House and Senate continue to meet in person. Both chambers have scheduled session at least 3 days per week through the end of May. Changes of status from the last update are in bold.

Partial Watch List

House Bill 74 (Flowers-D) requires employers to provide six weeks of paid leave for maternity/paternity or to care for a family member with a serious health condition. Re-referred to rules on 3/27/21.

House Bill 165 (Bennett-R) creates a Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Legislation Task Force. Placed on calendar order of third reading on 4/16/21.

House Bill 166 (Bennett-R) creates a new Carbon Dioxide Geologic Storage program requiring reservoir permits by the Department of Natural Resources. Re-referred to rules on 3/27/21.

House Bill 3092 (Harper-D) requires the Illinois EPA to perform an environmental justice impact analysis prior to granting a permit. Currently, there is no actual environmental justice law; rather Illinois is operating via policy. It appears the Pritzker Administration is leaning toward a legislative solution. A large coalition of business groups are working on a strategy to have viable alternatives to present to the Governor should environmental justice advocate policies prove unworkable. Re-referred to rules on 3/27/21.

House Bill 616 (Costa-Howard-D) mandates 12-week leave for employees with paid health insurance coverage. Re-referred to rules on 3/27/21.

House Bill 804 (Williams-D) creates the Clean Jobs, Workforce and Contractor Equity Act.

House Bill 2493(Meier-R) Provides that moneys received under the Illinois Hydraulic Fracturing Tax Act shall be used only for the payment of pension obligations of the State of Illinois.   Re-referred to rules on 3/27/21.

Senate Bill 2514 (Rose-R) creates a permitting process and implement a fee of $0.08 per ton of carbon dioxide. All are opposed by environmental advocates. Assigned to Energy and Public Utilities committee on 3/23/21.

Illinois Legislative Update – March 23, 2021

Dan Reitz | IOGA Lobbyist

The House and Senate still continue to hold virtual committees.  Both chambers met last week in the Capitol and the Senate is in session this week.  All bills are due to be reported from a standing committee on March 26, but the Senate is extending the deadline now to April 16 and the House could do the same. Both chambers start spring break next week and are scheduled back in session on April 13.

State Representative Andre Thapedi resigned from the 32nd House District. Democrat party leaders will appoint his replacement.

House Republicans announced their legislative priorities in its Reimagine Illinois platform, including four “common sense” areas: ethics reform, fiscally responsible leadership, growing jobs, and ensuring public safety. Republicans are pushing for pension reform to address the state’s structural deficit.

Partial Watch List

House Bill 165 (Bennett-R) creates a Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Legislation Task Force. An amendment has been filed to change the task force to a study completed by the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute with a science-based overview of carbon capture’s potential in Illinois.

House Bill 166 (Bennett-R) creates a new Carbon Dioxide Geologic Storage program requiring reservoir permits by the Department of Natural Resources.

House Bill 3092 (Harper-D) requires EPA to analyze impact on environmental justice communities for permits.

House Bill 804 (A. Williams-D), the Clean Energy Jobs Act focusing on carbon reduction and job creation, passed from the House Energy & Environment Committee and is now on House Second Reading. Representative Williams agreed to continue negotiating the bill. The bill aims at committing Illinois to 100% renewable energy by 2050.

House Bill 2493 (Meier-R)  Provides that money received under the Illinois Hydraulic Fracturing Tax Act shall be used only for the payment of pension obligations of the State of Illinois.  Assigned to Sales, Amusement, & Other Taxes Subcommittee.

Senate Bill 2005, Senate Bill 2514 & House Bill 166 create a permitting process and implement a fee of $0.08 per ton of carbon dioxide. All are opposed by environmental advocates.

Continue to watch other bills that are bad for business and could potentially impact IOGA.